Artistic Skates Artistic roller skates are made up of a leather boot, very strong sole plate, and a jump bar that adds extra force. The boot sits a few inches above the ankle, providing more support for the foot. Jam Skates Jam skates are the most different roller skates because of their special low-cut design and lack of toe stop. That's right: there is no brake. But the original jam skate design was different, resembling an artistic skate. Jam skating is more about personal expression rather than speed skating. The free-flowing movements of jam skating have been given many names. But regardless of its name, jam skating has always been about expression and passion. Speed Skates A speed skate resembles a shoe. The cut of the boot is lower. Speed skates typically offer lightweight plates to reduce exhaustion for skating long distances. Jam skates have preferred speed skates because they offer a similar design and freedom of movement. The most obvious difference is that a speed skate features a toe stop, unlike a jam skate that uses a toe plug. Rhythm Skates Rhythm skates are similar to jam skates. The difference between them lies in the boot design. In fact, the boot design looks very similar to an artistic skate, essentially providing you with the ankle support benefits of an artistic skate, but the freedom of movement of a jam skate. If you want a skate that allows you to move to the beat, which added ankle support, the rhythm skate is the ideal choice. Which of the following is NOT a feature of jam skates? A) They have no brake B) They lack a toe stop C) They have no toe plug. D) They have a unique, low-cut design.
C

Chinese students aren't the only ones who have a sleep loss problem. In Australia, teenagers are also missing out on, on average, one hour's sleep every night during the school week. Organized activities and homework push bedtimes later, the first large-scale Australian study of children's sleeping habits has revealed  . Their sleep deprivation   is enough to cause "serious drop-offs in school performance, attention and memory", and governments should consider later or flexible school start times, said the study's leader, Tim Olds. ks5u His survey, of more than 4,000 children aged 9 to 18, found those who slept least did not watch more television but spent their time socializing   with family or friends or listening to music. "Almost all children get up at 7 or 7:15 -- they have to get to school on time," said Olds. He favors a later start over an earlier finish because he believes organized sports and activities would still consume the latter end of the day. Olds' research also establishes lack of sleep as a cause of weight gain in children, and a possible source of future problems with depression, anxiety and increased susceptibility   to illness. It was already known that overweight children sleep less, but Professor Olds found sleep duration  was strongly linked to weight across the full range of body sizes. The thinnest children sleep 20 minutes more than the  _ . This showed being overweight had no specific effect on sleep patterns, and it was more likely that shorter sleep times stimulate   appetite and make kids hungry. The US National Sleep Foundation says teenagers aged 13 to 18 need eight to nine hours' sleep a night. Younger school-aged kids need 9 to 11 hours. On that basis, Professor Olds said, half of Australian children are under-sleeping on weekdays and a quarter on weekends. Which of the following statements is TRUE? A) Australian students usually take part in activities in the afternoon. B) More students are short of sleep on weekends than on weekdays. C) Being overweight has an effect on the length of the sleeping time. D) The survey suggests that teenagers need 8-9 hours' sleep a night.
A

A Festival for the Dead is held once a year in Japan. This festival is a cheerful occasion, for on this day, the dead are said to return to their homes and they are welcomed by the living. As they are expected to be hungry after their long journey, food is laid out for them. Speciallymade lanterns  are hung outside each house to help the dead to find their way. All night long, people dance and sing. In the early morning, the food that had been laid out for the dead is thrown into a river or into the sea as it is considered unlucky for anyone living to eat it. In towns that are near the sea, the tiny lanterns which had been hung in the streets the night before, are placed into the water when the festival is over. Thousands of lanterns slowly drift out to sea guiding the dead on their return journey to the other world. This is a moving spectacle(,), for crowds of people stand on the shore watching the lanterns drifting away until they can be seen no more. The festival is a cheerful one,because  _  . A) people specially make some lanterns B) all night long, people dance and sing C) people make much delicious food D) the dead are said to return to their homes and are welcomed by the living
D

Lego,the inventor of those color1ful bricks that have inspired kids' imagination worldwide,has celebrated its 53rd anniversary. In 1958,a man named Godtfred created the plastic building bricks that can now be found in almost every child's toy box. The simple building block has become one of the most well-known and popular toys around the world. "The Lego brick continues to be very attractive,because it allows children,and others,to develop their creativity and imagination," said Charlotte Simonsen,a spokeswoman of Lego. The company's building brick allows an endless number of links. With just two bricks there are 24 different links,and with six,there are 915 million possibilities,according to Lego. A half century after its creation,more than 400 million children and adults spend five billion hours a year putting the bricks together and pulling them apart. Also,the bricks made today can still link with those made in 1958. Lego bricks aren't just child's play: they also attract the interest of adults. South Korean adventurer,Heo Young Ho,who climbed Mount Everest in 1987,left a Lego toy behind in the snow during his climb. After its great success Lego experienced a serious crisis at the end of the 1990s,hit hard by competition from electronic games. Lego then suffered a dark period that lasted several years. With great efforts,the company began to be popular again,and in 2006 it earned about 1.5 billion dollars in 130 countries. Seven boxes of Lego are now sold every second around the world,and 19 billion bricks are produced each year: enough to encircle the Earth five times! The success of the Lego bricks proves that   _  . A) every invention will be successful B) a good invention can do a lot of good to mankind C) children like building bricks more than any other toys D) any good invention will be sure to earn a lot of money

B